CHAPTER IX
OLD HECK'S STRATEGY
It was late when Old Heck and the cowboys returned to the ranch. Therunaway cattle had been overtaken on the sand-hills beyond the NorthSprings and it took the entire afternoon to bunch them and work therestless animals back to the Quarter Circle KT, into the big pasture,and repair the fence so it was safe to leave them for the night.
Ophelia, Carolyn June and Parker were in the front room when Old Heckand the hungry cowboys clattered, long after dark, into the kitchen forthe supper Sing Pete had kept warm for them.
After the meal Skinny went into the room where Parker and the womenwere. Old Heck followed and talked for a few moments with Parker aboutthe affairs of the ranch, then joined the cowboys at the bunk-housewhere they had gone directly after leaving the table. On Skinny's bedParker had tossed a bundle.
"What in thunder do you reckon Skinny's been buying, now?" Chuckquestioned as he picked up the package and examined it curiously."Blamed if it don't feel like a shirt."
"I'll bet that's what it is," Bert said with a laugh as Old Heckstepped inside the door, "the darn fool has gone and got him a whiteshirt--"
"Who has?" Old Heck asked, hearing only the latter part of Bert'sremark.
"Skinny," Charley answered for Bert, "he's fixing up to make love instyle--"
"Aw, the blamed idiot," Old Heck grunted, then glancing over towardParker's bed: "--Did you notice whether Parker got him one, too, ornot?"
Before the question was answered Parker and Skinny appeared at thebunk-house door.
"What's the matter?" Chuck said, still holding the bundle in his hand,"--ain't it too early for lovers to bu'st up for the night? Or did thewidow and Carolyn June blow out the lights on you--"
"Forget it, you danged fool!" Skinny said crossly. "Can't you ever getover your dog-goned craziness? They was just tired and went to bed. Giveme that package, it's mine and private!" reaching for the bundle.
Chuck, with a laugh, threw it at him. It landed on the Ramblin' Kid'sbunk where the latter was lying, his clothing still on, his eyes staringstraight up while he smoked a cigarette.
"When are you going to ride the Gold Dust maverick?" Skinny asked as hepicked up the package.
For a moment the Ramblin' Kid did not answer. Then, without changing hisposition, replied:
"I don't know as I'll ever ride her. Maybe I'll turn her loose again onth' range."
"What did you catch her for?" Bert queried. "Don't you want her?"
"I caught her, 'cause I wanted to," the Ramblin' Kid answered, "but thatain't no sign I intend to keep her. Hell, what's the use?" he finishedindifferently.
"If you want to sell her," Old Heck said, "I'll buy her."
"She ain't for sale," the Ramblin' Kid answered shortly, "not toanybody."
"She would be a thunderin' sight better off if she was used."
"Would she?" the Ramblin' Kid questioned dully. "I ain't so sure aboutthat."
"Of course she would," Old Heck insisted, "she'd be fed regular and--"
"An' be mauled around by some darned human!" the Ramblin' Kidinterrupted with sudden vehemence. "If I was a horse," he continued,speaking passionately while his black eyes burned with the spirit ofrebellion, "I'd rather be a short-grass cay-use nippin' th' scatterin'feed on th' north hills an' be free to snort an' raise hell when Iblamed please than have my belly stuffed with alfalfa hay three times aday an' have to gnaw th' iron of some damned man's bit in my mouth orcarry his saddle on my back!"
Silence followed the outburst.
Old Heck and the cowboys knew the Ramblin' Kid was in one of his"moods," and experience had taught them that at such times argument wasneither discreet nor safe. The thing they did not know was that hisheart was torn by memory of the agony of Old Blue in the quicksand andhis mind tortured by the picture of dumb suffering a bullet from his owngun had, that morning, mercifully ended.
After a time he spoke again, more quietly and with a note of wearinessin his voice:
"Oh, well, I reckon I'll keep th' filly. In a day of two, when she getsrested up a little, I'll ride her,"
"You ought to break her for Carolyn June," Skinny suggested.
"Had I?" the Ramblin' Kid said with a queer laugh--it was just thethought that was in his mind and against which he was struggling."That's a bright idea! Maybe I'll study about it an' take a notion to doit. If I do she can ride th' maverick When you an' her go on yourhoneymoon--"
"What's a honeymoon?" Skinny queried innocently.
"It's what two people take when they first get married; go off somewhereby themselves--like they was locoed--to find out how bad they gotstung!" the Ramblin' Kid laughingly answered.
"We'd better all go to bed," Old Heck said; "it's late and we have toget up early in the morning. Parker, you and some of the boys will haveto go skin them dead steers--we've got to save the hides at least."
"Old Heck wants to go to sleep so he can dream about the widow," Chucksnickered, "it's his turn again to-morrow to love her--"
"How did she act to-day, Parker?" Bert broke in; "was she prettyaffectionate?"
"Aw, shut up! Ain't you got any respect for anything--"
"I'll bet he proposed to her and she throwed him down," Chuck hazarded,not realizing how nearly he had come to guessing the truth.
Parker looked angrily at Chuck, then his cheeks grew red, he bent overand began tugging at his boots in an effort to hide the tell-taleconfusion in his eyes.
Old Heck furtively studied the face of his foreman.
"Or else she confessed to being a Bolshevik or local-optionist orsomething and the news broke his heart," Charley volunteered, joining inthe baiting of the range-boss.
"She didn't neither confess," Parker denied hastily, aggravated into areply, "she ain't either one of them! She's an 'Organizer--'"
Dead silence greeted this sudden announcement. Every eye was turned inastonishment on Parker while Old Heck and the boys awaited furtherexplanation. Parker offered no additional information.
"She's a what?" Old Heck finally managed to whisper, leaning towardParker, while a look of fear and incredulity spread over his face.
Parker noticed the anguish in Old Heck's eyes and a sudden new look ofcunning came into his own.
"An 'Organizer' I said," he repeated impressively, "she's an 'Organizer'for some kind of 'Movement' or other--"
"A dis-organizer, you'd better say!" Chuck laughed uncertainly, "judgingfrom the way she's got you and Old Heck stampeding already!"
"Great guns!" Old Heck half groaned, "what--what sort ofa--a--'Movement' did she say it was, anyhow?"
"Swiss, probably!" came in a chuckling undertone from the direction ofthe Ramblin' Kid's bed. "Hell, what's the difference?"
"She said it was connected someway with 'feminine obligations andwoman's opportunity,'" Parker answered, ignoring the frivolousinterruptions.
"I know what she is!" Charley exclaimed, "--it's just what I expected!She's one of these self-starting female suffragettes! That's what sheis. I knowed she was too gentle acting to be harmless!"
"She just had to break loose sooner or later," Bert said in an awedvoice.
"My Gawd!" Old Heck murmured hopelessly. "Holy gosh a'mighty!"
The owner of the Quarter Circle KT was really shocked and worried. Hehad surrendered quickly to his first impression concerning the widow.The original meeting at Eagle Butte, when she and Carolyn June appearedas visions of feminine loveliness, as contrasted with the homely cookand her daughter whom he and Skinny had mistaken for, and feared were,the Quarter Circle KT's prospective guests, had caused a psychic effecton his feelings toward Ophelia. The sense of relief that came when hefound that the cook was not Ophelia, together with the widow'sunexpected graciousness, had instantly disarmed his suspicions and,metaphorically speaking, hurled his heart into her lap. He had found thewidow charming, interesting, very feminine, and already dreams hadshaped themselves in his mind. The sudden revelation that Parker hadmade brought tremendous disappoint
ment. Ophelia had not shown the leastindication of obnoxious strong-mindedness or that disagreeableintellectuality which Old Heck firmly believed was a necessary attributeof all women who participated in politics or "movements."
Ophelia was an "Organizer"! It was unbelievable! The thought gave him asickening feeling at the pit of his stomach and actually made his headache.
Old Heck's first impulse, when Parker made the startling announcement,was to assert his authority as boss of the outfit and annul theevery-other-day arrangement whereby he and his foreman were to share andshare alike in the widow's society. He would let Parker do it all--haveher all of the time! He wouldn't take any chances! On second thought hedecided to wait at least another day. Besides, it was against hisprinciples, contrary to the ethics of the range, to back up on a bargainand he never asked an employee to do a thing he hadn't the courage to dohimself. He would stick it out, come what may, and see the thing throughto a finish. However, there was still a means of escape. If Opheliadeveloped any really serious suffragette tendencies during the next dayor two he would go on the beef hunt himself and let Parker remain at theranch!
When finally he went to sleep Ophelia was still on his mind. The firstthought that came to him when he awakened the next morning was thesickening news Parker had brought.
Old Heck and the cowboys were silent and had about them an air ofdepression when they filed into the kitchen for breakfast.
Each cast furtive, curious glances at Ophelia. The information that shewas an "Organizer"--presumably for a "Movement" involving woman'spolitical rights--caused them to view her with a kind of reverential aweand fear. The widow and Carolyn June, apparently, were whollyunconscious of the thoughts in the minds of the men. Both women were asinnocent-looking and attractive as ever--matching with their earlymorning freshness the bowl of roses Carolyn June, before the call tobreakfast, had gathered and placed on the table.
The Ramblin' Kid sat at the right of Carolyn June. It was the firsttime they had met at the table. He said nothing and seemingly was lostin thought. When they had entered the kitchen Carolyn June and he hadspoken and for a moment he looked into her eyes with an expression thatcaused her own to drop and the warm blood to rush over her throat andface. She had felt that same sensation of "soul-nakedness" sheexperienced when she looked into his eyes that first time when she wasat the circular corral and he was lying under the shed. Neither spoke ofthe incidents of the previous day.
The other cowboys and Old Heck studied Ophelia with a sort offascination, casting shy upward glances at her from over their plates.
Parker and the Ramblin' Kid only, were at ease and undisturbed.
"You wouldn't think she was one by looking at her, would you?" Chucksaid in an undertone to Charley.
"Some of them's so blamed slick they can't hide it."
"I reckon that's right," Chuck whispered back, "it's an awful jolt toOld Heck, ain't it?"
"Yes, he's taking it pretty hard," Charley mumbled.
"Her forehead does bulge out a good deal in front, when you come to lookat it, don't it?" Chuck observed under his breath.
"Quite a lot," Charley answered in the same tone; "that's oneindication!"
Parker gazed at the widow with an expression undeniably adoring. OldHeck saw it and straightened up with a look of sudden resolution on hisface. If Parker wasn't afraid of Ophelia, by golly, he wouldn't be! Thewidow had returned the foreman's look with understanding, while morethan a trace of tenderness and sympathy was registered in her eyes.
"To-morrow is Sunday," Old Heck announced suddenly with startlingdistinctness, "and we'll get things in shape to begin the beef round-upon Monday!"
There was immediate interest.
"I'll be darned," the Ramblin' Kid murmured half audibly, "Old Heck isgoin' to 'Uriah' Parker!"
"Huh?" Skinny queried across the table.
"Nothin'," the Ramblin' Kid answered with a laugh, "I was just remindedof somethin' I read in a book one time--"
Carolyn June caught the subtle reference to the Bible story of KingDavid's unfortunate romance with another man's "woman" and chuckled.
"Ain't you starting the beef hunt too early?" Charley asked.
"I don't know as I am," Old Heck answered doggedly.
"Aw, that'll put us right in the middle of it on the Fourth of July whenthe Rodeo is going on in Eagle Butte--" Bert began.
"And I ain't going to miss that, either," Chuck interrupted, "thatY-Bar outfit over on the Vermejo took everything in the two-milesweepstakes last year and they've been bragging about it ever since.They think that Thunderbolt horse of theirs can't be beat. I was goingto put Silver Tip in this year. He can put that black in second place--"
"No, he can't," the Ramblin' Kid remarked quietly, "--you'd lose yourmoney. There's only one animal on th' Kiowa range that can outrun thatVermejo horse."
"What animal is that?" Charley asked.
"She's in th' circular corral," the Ramblin' Kid answered laconically.
"The Gold Dust maverick?" Bert questioned.
"That's the one I mean," the Ramblin' Kid replied in a low voice, "fortwo miles--or five--there ain't nothin' in western Texas, or Mexicoeither, that can catch her."
"Why don't you take her in when the Rodeo is on and run her in thesweepstakes then?" Chuck asked eagerly. "I ain't caring what Kiowa horsegets the money just so that Y-Bar outfit is taken down a notch or two.Ever since they got that Thunderbolt horse and beat Old Heck'sQuicksilver with him they've been crowing over the Quarter Circle KT andI'm getting plumb sick of it--"
"Old Heck lost three thousand dollars on that race!" Bert interruptedrather triumphantly.
"I didn't neither," Old Heck corrected sullenly, "it was onlytwenty-five hundred!"
"Well, that Vermejo crowd has got a hundred of mine," Chuck saidvindictively, "but I don't give a darn for that--I'd be willing to losetwice that much again just to set that Thunderbolt horse of theirs backin second place!"
"Why don't you run the outlaw filly?" Charley asked coaxingly of theRamblin' Kid.
"Yes, go on and put her in," Skinny urged, "--you ought to!"
The Ramblin' Kid remained silent, seemingly indifferent to the teasingof the others.
Carolyn June leaned over and said, in a voice audible only to him, whileher eyes grew mellow with a look that tested his composure to theuttermost but which wrung no sign from him:
"Please, race the maverick--I--want you to--Ramblin' Kid!"
It was the first time she had used his name in speaking directly to himand the tone in which it was spoken made him tremble in spite ofhimself. For a moment he returned her gaze. Her words and manner were sodifferent that by their very difference they reminded him of what shehad called him yesterday--"an ignorant, savage, stupid brute"--when hehad refused to interfere with the cat when its head was caught in thecan. He started to make a cynical reply. Then he remembered her sympathyfor Old Blue, her apology later for the harsh words--anyhow he knew orfelt in his heart they were true--and suddenly he seemed to see thepink satin garter he still carried in his pocket. The look that cameinto his eyes made Carolyn June lower her own. He smiled a whimsical buthopeless smile, as, replying apparently to the pleading of Charley andSkinny, he said, softly, the single word:
"Maybe!"
Old Heck had forgotten the annual Rodeo held in Eagle Butte, for somedays each summer, around the Fourth of July. His sudden determinationand eagerness to have the beef round-up begin earlier than usual inorder to get Parker away from the widow had driven all else but that oneidea from his mind. The protests reminded him of his oversight. He hadnot intended to deprive the cowboys of the opportunity to enjoy the onebig event happening yearly in the Kiowa country and which temporarilyturned Eagle Butte, for a few days each summer, into a seethingmetropolis of care-free humanity.
"I think it's a darned shame to spring the beef hunt so it willinterfere with the Rodeo," Bert grumbled, "--and us have to be out onthe hills wrangling steers while the celebration is going on!"
"You can all go to the Rodeo," Old Heck interposed, not feeling justright in his conscience about sending Parker away in advance of the timeexpected, and wishing to make amends,"--Parker and all of you. You can'break' the round-up for a few days during the Rodeo and what cattleyou've got gathered by then can be turned into the big pasture and heldthere till it's over. That'll let you all get into Eagle Butte for theFourth--I'd like to see that blamed Thunderbolt horse beat myself! Butwe'll start the beef hunt Monday the way I said in the first place--"
"Who's going to cook, this year, on the round-up?" Charley queried. "Youcan't take the Chink from here this time, can you?"
"I reckon Sing Pete'll have to go along as usual," Old Heck answered;"it'll make it a little unhandy at the ranch, but--"
"Ophelia and I can 'batch' while you are gone," Carolyn June suggested."We won't mind being alone and it will be fun to cook our own meals."
"We will enjoy it," Ophelia added agreeably.
"You ain't going to be alone," Old Heck said; "Skinny and me will behere. When it comes to the cooking maybe between the four of us we canget along some way!"
"Well, if the round-up's got to start Monday," Parker declared sullenlyas they left the table, "I'll have to go down to town again to-day andget me a new saddle. Mine was on Old Blue."
"I'll go with you," Old Heck said in a conciliatory way. "Charley andthe other boys can be working on them dead steers till we get back.We'll go in the car and ought to make the round-trip by noon."
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